In the production and shipping of elongated products such as blow-molded, plastic bottles, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,250 problems have arisen due to leakage of the liquids contained in these soft plastic bottles. This leakage problem is primarily due to the fragile uppermost end of these bottles, which uppermost ends are designed to be easily twisted away to provide an orifice for drinking the liquid from the bottle. During shipping of these bottles in corrugated cases or the like, any impact engagement of the uppermost end(s) of a bottle(s) with the top of the shipping case may damage such end(s) and cause the bottle(s) to leak.